I'm a bit claustrophobic. Would a BBO drive me crazy? Does a BBO hold in a lot more heat than a tarp?
KJ
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I'm a bit claustrophobic. Would a BBO drive me crazy? Does a BBO hold in a lot more heat than a tarp?
KJ
not to sound dumb, but I know of BBq's but not about BBo's :confused:
can you tell me what they are?
The BBO for me is NOT claustrophobic, no different than a small cover overlaying your netting and ridgeline. It will hold more heat than a tarp, though because of that it will also create a point for condensation when the outside air is cooler.Quote:
Originally Posted by cataraftgirl
Bear Burrito Oven for a BlackBird. Adds about 10 degrees of warmth (your results may vary). Got for for my wife's BB and she loves it.
Available from Arrowhead Equipment in a variety of colors.
Picture is of wife getting out of her BB with a color matching BBO.
BBO= Bear Burrito Oven from Arrowhead Equipment, a breathable "top cover" for a WBBB that goes over the netting and ridgeline.Quote:
Originally Posted by fred1diver
I haven't used it personally, but last weekend i was hanging with a friend who uses the BBO, he said that it felt 10-15dg warmer "inside" with noticeably lower condensation. (when i find some fundings i´m getting one)
@F1D
this is the mentioned BBO:
http://arrowheadequipment.webs.com/a...ts/show/895179
/Bomber
Judy has that affliction and she uses a night light. Would a low power LED (just enough to give comfort and not kill the battery) for night light work for you too?Quote:
Originally Posted by cataraftgirl
Only one way to find out....Quote:
Would a low power LED (just enough to give comfort and not kill the battery) for night light work for you too?
thanks for the info :D
now back to our regularly scheduled thread :lol:
I have a camo one, can see through it in daylight & it is held Way off of me by the ridgeline (It's on top of the bug netting) so limited from a closet-phobia POV.
Around 5 this morning mine got too warm so I had to half uncover it. I agree that it adds at least 10 degrees, maybe as much as 20 YMMV. So more than a open tarp. A closed ended tarp can add nearly 10 degrees IMHO so,,,,,,,,
IF you sleep cold, pound for pound a "Hammock sock" or similar cover like the BBO can mean the difference between being cold all night & sleeping the night away. The lower half of my "similar to a hammock sock" is a 1X by Molly Mac. Combined they add at least 20 - 30 degrees to my comfort level.
I find my BBO to be effective in temps in the 20's and 30's in the fall. When I used it last winter however I had terrible condensation.
Ive not gotten cold enough for that to be an issue,,, yet! But one thing I think would be nice is a way to increase ventilation just a bit without removing the BBO, or as I did this morning half remove it. I have thought about putting a over the face opening in mine, closed with Velcro.Quote:
Originally Posted by pizza
For mine at least, the only ventilation is THROUGH the fabric & a tiny opening where the tie out for the WBBB shelf is. Last year at Mt Rogers I did have condensation issues with my (less porous) hammock sock, the breathable fabric froze up, thereby clogging all the pores. Thankfully, the hammock sock was easily ventilated. I think this will be less of an issue with my BBO, but until I get the 17 degrees or so I had then, there is no way to tell :rolleyes:
The BBO was designed for a spacious hammock-the BlackBird so I've never felt hemmed in with it on. I haven't gotten the 10-20F boost some have but I have confirmed with an inside/outside thermometer 7-9F boost and note that was using a tarp.
BUT, and this is a small thing. Some of us don't use the tie-outs on the BlackBird..to use the BBO most effectively you need to use the tie-outs--no biggie, just something to know.
Paul did an abs. amazing job fitting the BBO to the BlackBird! Paul must be an amazing guy?
I like to think so :D my wife might tell you another story, but that's none of any of yall's business:lol::D:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by MedicineMan
More over Fin did a great job working out all the heavy lifting on what became the BBO, we just polished it some :shades:
I have not read about anyone feeling claustrophobic in the BBO, though I know of one that got sold as the user preferred to be able to see out, and the BBO will restrict that ability. Warmth wise, I am fairly confident that most folks will get at minimum 5 degrees, and many will see 10 degrees more warmth with it on. Though some have reported well more than that. Functionally, like anything the conditions (temp, humidity, wind....so on) will play a big factor in things like the warmth retention and condensation. Wrong conditions and almost nothing will help, I have been out without a tarp and had the bugnet alone rain on me half the night from condensation. Venting the BBO can be done a couple ways to help with it. First option is to open the hammock zip a couple inches near your head where you mouth is to let in a little cool air so that the wet air your breathing out has a chance to mix a little. The other option is to set up the BBO as normal but then unhook the head end loops from the hammock, the BBO will pull down a bit until the wings of the BB hold it tight. That will open a 12+ inch vent just above your head. The BBO will still trap a good bit of heat, and will block most wind from getting into the hammock stealing warmth from your top insulation (as big a part of the design as the heat trapping) allowing the insulation to keep you warmer than if a breeze were stealing heat out of the loft.
Thanks for the info Paul & everyone else for your experiences with the BBO. It's an interesting piece of gear. I'm at home rehabbing from knee surgery, so I'm looking at new hammock gear and the BBO caught my eye. I don't usually do winter camping, but on early spring & fall trips it may come in handy. I'll give it some thought.
KJ
That is one thing about Blackbirds and Blackbird accessories............they will sell!!!! I have the BBO and find it does not cause any problems with claustrophobia. If you are not experiencing any symptoms with the BB netting and a low slung tarp then you should have no issues with the BBO on the BB (YOMV!!!!).
So what your saying is you need to make one that is half clear plastic on the zipper side and breathable on the other to get the best of both. :cool: :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by pgibson
There you go.... BBO with a moon roof. How cool is that !!!!!
Doctari,Quote:
Originally Posted by Doctari
What you just described matches my theory of an efficient winter setup! Coming from an ultralight backpacking background, the giant tent/tarps I see make me wish for a lighter, smaller solution. Do you have pictures to post or a link if some are in the gallery?
You can see a bit of it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwuKSl7esToQuote:
Originally Posted by MAD777
We tried to film it in use, but technical difficulties caused 1/2 of that part to "Go away" :D
Ok, I decided to give the BBO a try. Paul had one gray "lefty" BBO, so since I have a "lefty" WBBB (zipper on the right) I ordered it and it's on it's way to me. I'm hoping the gray color will be light enough to overcome any claustrophobic issues. We shall see. If it's not my cup of tea, I'm sure I can find it a good home.
I have a MacCat deluxe tarp, and I have a 12x15 OES cat cut tarp on order. I thought that I could use the larger tarp in cold weather & close off the ends, but this tarp's primary use will be as our river kitchen tarp. I didn't want to count on using it for extra warmth on early spring or fall trips..... hence the BBO.
KJ
Excellent video Doctari! I thought it showed your setup very well. The more I think about it, I'm more convinced that this is preferable to a tarp-hut, at least for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Doctari
I know some folks tout cooking in their tarp, but where I hike, that would be suicide.
Ditto! Love the video, Doctari! Nicely done and quite informative.
So what do folks think about making an opening in the BBO above the face area? Doctari mentioned it in his earlier post. A way to alleviate condensation, let in some fresh air, see out a little bit, all without having to loosen the BBO or unzip the WBBB. Crazy or inspired???
KJ
That could reduce condensation and afford a bit of a view by letting fresh air in. Just remember that the reason that you have a BBO is to hold heat in by keeping the air in place. The less condensation and the more view, the less heat retained. It's a bit of a catch 22.Quote:
Originally Posted by cataraftgirl
Yep, it's a catch 22. I don't do any true winter camping, late spring to fall. I was thinking of the BBO for a little extra wind & temp protection either with or without a tarp. I'm still a bit worried about my claustrophobia and I don't want a damp down Burrow. Just a thought. Paul did mention that you can always pop off the BBO suspension at the head end and allow it to come down a bit.
Thanks for the input. Always good to bounce ideas off others.
KJ
You've probably already noticed that when your bugnet is deployed, it will add about 5° of warmth. It doesn't block wind from outside, but it does reduce it. It does not hold air inside the bugnet, but it does reduce the outward flow as well. The BBO is just like that but on steroids.Quote:
Originally Posted by cataraftgirl
I've found weathershields to be useful in cooler temps, but they tend to shine the most once the temps get well below freezing. I get condensation, but it freezes. If you're "careful" when exiting your hammock, you can avoid the snow shower. That frost on the weathershield usually means that I don't have frost on my quilt. You're basically just moving the condensation point off of your body and onto the weathershield.
When I went to make an IX Hammock Sock for the WBBB, a friend loaned me a Blackbird with a BBO. The BBO is such a good fit, I decided not to make a top for the WBBB Sock. It would be unnecessary, and disrespectful, to simply clone the BBO and attach it to a sock bottom. That's how the MMG IX Hammock Sock without SEEP was born. It's made to work with Paul's BBO. Doctari has the first.
To use a BBO, sock or overcover in winter, you have to figure out how to ventilate.
The HH version for their hammocks has a hole over the face and it works just fine. I prefer not having the hole and just venting it as needed but if you are doing it because of phobia then by all means open it up. It should still help out a little bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by cataraftgirl
OK, so far I have had 2 - 3 nights below 30 with the BBO, & one night to about 25. No condensation so far, & venting for me so far isn't a problem, I get up to answer nature about 3 times a night, & opening the BBO then seems to be enough. So I withdraw any concerns I had about ventilation, it is just not an issue, at least for me.
I think I would avoid putting a hole in the BBO over the face, at least unless I could close it again (Omnitape or Velcro?). Mine seems to breath well enough. I think my concern was based on my Hammock sock, which wasn't as breathable fabric. Now I'm not worried. After MtRogers, we'll see.
I have used the BBO with great success on two separate occasions. Having a space blanket directly under the hammock will act as a vapour barrier protecting your hammock sock and UQ from condensation while keeping you warm. The BBO will raise inside temperatures in the hammock thus keeping the top of your sleep system dry while venting out the humid air. Here is how I did.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=25190
I used my BBO this weekend into the mid 20s. I left the head end loose and had no condensation issues. I only close the head end when there is a steady wind to draw the condensation from the fabric.
It certainly warms things up!
On a down note, my BBO stuff sack disappeared over night. I think it might have blown into the river I camped near. BUMMER!
Thanks for the info Big D. How much of a gap is there in the BBO with the head end loose? Sorry about your stuff sack. It's so small it would be hard to find if it went very far.Quote:
Originally Posted by Big D
KJ